Avoid Being Eaten: Test Your Dragon Lore

Dragon mythology exists in many different cultures. Some believe dragons to bring good luck, while others tell of ferocious, insatiable creatures. Either way, it'd probably be best to stay on dragons' good side -- and that starts with clearing up any misconceptions you might have about them. So how well do you know your dragon lore?

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Question 1 of 20

A dragon is part of which royal coat of arms?

Prince of Thailand

Prince of Monaco

Prince of Wales

There is a dragon symbol emblazoned on the coat of arms of Charles, the Prince of Wales. It's an age-old family crest that experienced a surge in interest when his son, Prince William, married in 2010.

Question 2 of 20

Where is one of the world's most famous dragon sculptures located?

Cape Town, South Africa

Beijing, China

Dragons have been immortalized in many cultures' art, but one of the most famous sculptures is the Nine Dragon Wall in Beijing. Made of ceramic tiles, the sculpture depicts nine large dragons -- and a closer look will reveal an additional 626 small dragons hidden among them.

Cairo, Egypt

Question 3 of 20

What Mandarin word is part of the name for the Chinese dinosaur Dilong paradoxus?

di

lóng

The Mandarin word for dragon is in the name of many dinosaurs found in China: "long."

dóxus

Question 4 of 20

True or False: There's a dragon in Poland that breathes fire when cued via text request.

True

A dragon sculpture near the Polish city of Krakow is rigged to emit fire at regular intervals, including via text requests.

False

Question 5 of 20

Who is Dragon*Con a convention for (mainly)?

cryptozoologists

sci-fi and fantasy enthusiasts

Although there are certainly a few cryptozoologists and scientists among its attendees, Dragon*Con has been drawing thousands of speculative fiction fans to Atlanta over Labor Day weekend since 1987. The event includes a costume parade, fashion show and a variety of dragon-related presentations.

scientists

Question 6 of 20

Who were the first people to record a sighting of Scotland's Loch Ness monster?

boaters who hightailed it to shore

a shop owner near the lake

an ancient people called Picts

Known as Picts because of their penchant for drawing on rocks, these people lived in the Scottish Highlands in the first century A.D. -- and were the first to record the Lock Ness monster in a pictograph.

Question 7 of 20

What does a cryptozoologist do?

studies extinct or mythological creatures

A cryptozoologist is concerned with extinct or mythological creatures -- like dragons -- and discovering evidence of their existence.

studies dinosaurs

studies fossils

Question 8 of 20

What are European dragons known for eating?

trees

the flower of a rare water lily

fair maidens

European dragons seem to prefer dining on virginal maidens and augmenting their diets with livestock like sheep and cattle.

Question 9 of 20

Which influential psychiatrist used dragons to help form his theory?

Carl Jung

Carl Jung used dragons to illustrate the battle of the conscious and unconscious mind. When a hero slays a dragon, Jung says it's as if a person conquers their latent self.

Abraham Maslow

Sigmund Freud

Question 10 of 20

Which animated movie featured a small, friendly dragon with a good sense of humor?

"Eragon"

"Mulan"

"Mulan," a full-length animated Disney movie, featured Mushu, a dragon charged with protecting Mulan as she battled for her family -- and country's -- honor.

"Puff, the Magic Dragon"

Question 11 of 20

Which dragon is part of an urban legend regarding marijuana use?

Puff, the Magic Dragon

Since the 1960s, Puff, the Magic Dragon, has been immortalized in prose, film, children's story books and a famously popular song by Peter, Paul and Mary. But few associations have been as lingering as an urban legend (marked as false by the song's writers) that says the tale is really about smoking pot.

Smaug

Kilgharrah

Question 12 of 20

Which fashion designer is known for incorporating dragon designs into clothing?

Which dragon, originally thought to be a male, turned out to be female?

Tiamat

Norberta

In "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," the school's groundskeeper hatches a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon. He thought about naming it Fluffy but settled on Norbert -- until he later realized it was a girl. From then on, it was called Norberta.

Corletta

Question 14 of 20

Which game involving role-playing and winged, fire-breathing beasts is the oldest?

Dragon Sun

Dragon Fable

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is one of the oldest role-playing games still in play. It includes a goddess named Tiamat, a five-headed dragon.

Question 15 of 20

Where's the best place to spot a modern dragon?

in the sky

Although the existence of dragons has been much debated, there's still one place you can see one: the night sky. Draco, the dragon constellation, can be seen from the northern hemisphere and traces the figure of a serpentlike dragon.

in a cave

in an underwater lair

Question 16 of 20

Who was the Jabberwock, a famous literary figment, created by?

Ray Bradbury

J.K. Rowling

Lewis Carroll

Lewis Carroll invented the Jabberwock and included it in a poem in his book "Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There."

Question 17 of 20

What was the name of the dragon that liked to hoard gold in "The Hobbit"?

Fang

Smaug

The gold-loving dragon in "The Hobbit" was named Smaug. His mountainside cave was filled with gold objects on which he liked to recline.

Goldie

Question 18 of 20

Which dragon became an Internet sensation?

Trogdor the Burninator

The cult-favorite Web cartoon, Homestar Runner, includes a popular episode in which its characters sketch dragons. In the end, Trogdor the Burninator comes to life and wreaks fiery havoc across the countryside.

Pudgy, the Hungry Dragon

Kilgharrah

Question 19 of 20

Does the Bible mention a dragon?

only in the Dead Sea scrolls

no

yes

A seven-headed, hydra-style dragon is mentioned in the book of Revelation in the Bible. The multiheaded dragon is thought by many to represent sin.

Question 20 of 20

What is the name of the dragon that the hero must slay in the poem "Beowulf"?

Grendel

Puff

Monstrous Nightmare

None of these

In the epic English poem "Beowulf," the titular hero must conquer a giant named Grendel, followed by Grendel's mother. Then, much later, he slays a dragon that has no name.